Toll Hits 7 in Bridge Collapse

'My car pointed straight down and we fell'
By Mary Papenfuss,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 2, 2007 6:32 AM CDT
Toll Hits 7 in Bridge Collapse
A rescue worker enters a car in the water to search for a victim after the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed during the evening rush hour in Minneapolis on Wednesday.   (Associated Press)

The death toll in the catastrophic bridge collapse over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis has hit 7, with other victims fighting for their lives, CNN reports. One bystander says cars were "completely crushed" after suddenly plunging into the river during rush hour Wednesday evening when the 40-year-old bridge gave way. At least 60 people were rushed to hospitals.

"I slammed on my brakes and saw something in front of me disappear and then my car pointed straight down and we fell," said a survivor who claims he and his wife plunged 50 feet to land on another car below. "There were a bunch of people helping everyone," said his wife. "Angels is what I call them." (More Minneapolis stories.)

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